That's really cute. Birthing is just the answer and often done. Some stitch 3/8" from the edge later on and you don't even know it's not binding.

My leap was out of sheer ignorance. On my first quilt, the very first, I did from a class. I didn't know you don't have to quilt it right away or even quilt it yourself if you can afford to send it out. I assumed it wasn't a quilt yet till I put the rest on it and quilted it. I read that I must drop feed dogs, which I did, and I did FMQ without knowing that's what I was doing. It's not a good job and I look at it and laugh. But I learned a lot and it pushed me to learn more. I do better at it today.

My daughter had the pattern for Kaleidoscope quilt. I thought it looked interesting so borrowed it and set about making a lap sized K. quilt. Didn't realize it was supposed to be kind of difficult. Took the finished quilt to a guild meeting and all I heard was "How did you do that?' My answer was that I read the instructions. The guild then sponsored a workshop for K. and that got everyone hooked.
I have not done another one though.
Theresa

I love that for a baby quilt! Birthed, huh? The only time I did that was when I was making quillos - remember those?
Might have to try this technique on a charity quilt first.

Still want to try machine sewing the binding on the back.

My leaps of faith usually involve adding some "rogue" fabrics to a quilt just to shake up the mix a bit. And usually I am happy with the results. Example: added some old fashioned gingham checks and plaids to my own 1930's bed quilt that had the reproduction fabrics and some authentic 1930's fabrics as the main fabrics. The checks and plaids played well with the other fabrics and just added more scrappy to a scrap quilt.

Teresa

LOL! I'm happy to be an enabler and return the favor given to me by so many of you!

Your quilt is beautiful and I applaud your bravery!

Kate

Your quilt is lovily. I like the Dutchman's Puzzle pattern,it fits nicely in this quilt. You did well "birthing" your quilt. I have tried but never very happy with my results which seemed harder to me then binding it.lol.
I was trying to think of things that required bravery and faith and I guess my Silvia's Bridal quilt fell into that category. It seemed like a big challenge when I started it but I had courage and faith to try because the book was a gift.

Your quilt is lovely and oh sooo special...your first great grandchild is the fortunate recipient of "birthing your first quilt"...
I find myself at times my own worst enenmy...laboring over instructions, practicing on scraps...and then I take that leap and behold...it works to my amazement and it wasn't as difficult as I made it out to be!

Calliope, I really like your quilt! Love the colors and the pattern.

I always like to learn new things and I don't think I ever hesitate on a new quilting technique...I just dive right in! I also try to follow through to the end even if I don't like the technique or the look of the quilt. I just say I've tried it and don't need to do it again! LOL

I can only remember giving up on 2 projects. One was a pieced pattern of a flower (pansy, I think) and the instructions called for cutting a zillion teeny tiny pieces of freezer paper, ironing them on to the appropriate fabric, then sewing a zillion seams with the paper still attached. The pieces were so tiny they wouldn't stick. I kept at it for quite a while then finally swept it all into the trash can.

The other was a landscape-type quilt begun in a guild workshop. It was a street scene from Siena, Italy. In the workshop I wasn't happy with a lot of my fabric choices. The teacher kept saying to focus on value and color and when it was viewed as a whole they would all blend together. After the day-long workshop I put it away and 2 or 3 years later when I got it out to try to finish it I found I didn't have the instructions, most of the chalk outline of the design had disappeared, and it looked like a jumble of fabrics rather than part of a picture, so I cut off the black backing fabric that I could reuse and threw that one away, too.

Donna